Dying Snails!

[bladeruner143]

I have two types of snails in my tank, nassirus (sp?) and astra snails. I had about 13 astra snails and 6 nassirus snails. All of the nassirus snails are alive and thriving, but all but two of the astra snails have died. Could this be due to lack of food for them to feed on? Any other causes?

 

[roka64]

It could be poor water conditions. What are your water parameters? It doesn't look like they both eat the same thing. Nass, like to burrow in the sand and eat the detrius, the astras like cyano and diatoms (which might be your problem). Also, if they get turned over, they sometimes can't get turned back over and could possibly starve or become food.

How did you acclimate them?

 

[bladeruner143]

All of my water levels are at 0. I keep my salinity relatively high for a FOWLR at 1.026. pH last time i checked was right around the low 8's. I know they dont eat the same things, but i was thinking that it probably isnt anything to do with my water parameters since the nassirus are still alive and doing well. I thought it might be that there wasnt enough algea in my tank to support them, but i thought they might feed off my LR. A couple did end up turned over, but everytime i saaw them that way, i turned them back. The last two i have are doing fine now that they are the lone survivors. So i guess that it was all because of a lack of food, but i just wanted some other opinions.

 

[ianrich147]

my persinal opinion is that astra snails suck even if you flip them over the stress can kill them no bady at the fish stor tells you that when you get them

 

[bladeruner143]

Yeah, i guess you're right. I wanted to try the turbo snails. I read a lot of good things about them on this site. Anyone have any experience with both types who can offer a good comparison?

 

[roka64]

Lots of peole have them. They need calcium to grow. I have bumblebee snails, cerinth (i think my hermits got most of them) and some nassis, they are all awesome.

 

[melosu58]

I think higher temps have something to do with it also. When I used to keep my tank around 82 I could not keep a snail but now that I keep it around 75 I have all the snail I want. This is a pretty poor theesis isnt it. Well it worked for me anyway.

 

[ianrich147]

i have both i love my turbo snails thay do a grate job at cleaning algae i also have bumblebee cerinth and nassis the only snail i have ploblems with is astra

 

[bladeruner143]

Melo, that could be a possibility because i keep my temp right around 80. I do make sure to have my trace elements (ie calcium) so that there is no problem. I will try the turbo snails the next time and see how they work out. But for right now, my astras will have to do since im all out of money! Any suggestions of where to buy them? I live close to sacramento.

 

[ianrich147]

any SW fish store should have then their labeled mexican turbo snails around hear